Question re: Sunblades

[Taren Seeker]

Hi,

This is somehing I keep going round and round with. Here is the relevant portion of the description of the Sunblade from the SRD:

Furthermore, the blade has a special sunbeam power. Once a day, the wielder can swing the blade vigorously above her head while speaking a command word. The sunblade then sheds a bright yellow radiance that is like full daylight.

Note the italics, as it appears in the DMG. Normally when something is italicized like that it refers to a proper name/game term. In this case, does it refer to the spell sunbeam? Does this mean that the sword's light aura is equiv. to the sunbeam spell?

Please note that I'm an RPGA (Living City) player and judge, so responses like "too powerful, rule 0" don't really cut it.

Thanks.

 

[Jeremy]

In this case yes. Italics refers to a specific spell as opposed to descriptive text.

Sunbeam the spell can be cast using the sword in the prescribed manner.

 

[RogueJK]

I'm not 100% sure, but I would venture a guess and say no.

Since they go on to explain how the sunbeam ability works, it's pretty safe to assume that it doesn’t have the same effect as the spell.

The italicized portion is what's confusing me, though... As you said, in most cases, italicized text refers to the spell of the same name.

Hmm… You may want to ask the Sage.

 

[JCLabelle]

Sounds like the Daylight spell more than the Sunbeam power. It's badly explained.

Command Word : Spell Level (7) * Caster Level (13) * 1800 = 163800.

1 Charge/day, so 163800/5 = 32760 for an item that casts Sunbeam once per day. Is that right?

The Sunblade is already a +2 weapon. I'd count the Short sword = Bastard Sword ability as +1. The Bane ability is a +2 as per the DMG, I'd say Evil is far broader than a Creature type, so it would be at least a +3? The Vs Neg Energy Plane or Undead sounds like a +2 or +3, I'll put it at +2.

So, under my approximation, the Sunblade is roughly comparable to a +8 weapon. At a 50335 Market Price, sounds like the bargain of the year. That's without any Sunbeam power of course.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

IMO, it should have the same effect as the spell (without the rays, of course). The second edition sunblade had the effects of the 7th level priest spell sunray. 3e just changed the description to the new spell.

 

[noretoc]

I believe the italics are just there to name the power. In all other cases, when an item has a special power and they name it, it is in italics (ex. staff of thunder and lightning) Also in all the items, when the item's ability functions as a spell, every one I have read actually sa ys the word "spell" in the description.
I think in this case, the name they used for the power, just happenes to be the same name as a spell

 

[Gromm]

If it was as the spell, it would say so (ie target is affected by Fear as the spell as if cast by a lvlx sorceror).
Since it specfically describes another effect, I'd say no to it being the actual spell. Seems like poor editing.

 

[hong]

Note that the sunblade's +4 bonus vs evil creatures is not the same as the bane enchantment. Bane gives you +2d6 damage vs the specified creature type, which the sunblade does not.

I suspect the sunbeam ability description is the result of incomplete editing. IIRC, the item's original description in the 2E DMG and 1E Unearthed Arcana were worded almost exactly the same, except they didn't use the word "sunbeam".

I don't recall anything about 2E sunblades emulating sunray.